The Goon Show Compendium Volume 13: Early Show, Series 4, Part 1 & More

Episodes from the classic BBC radio comedy series

By: Spike Milligan

Narrated by: Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers star in seven early episodes of The Goon Show, plus a plethora of bonus features.

Immensely popular and hugely influential, the groundbreaking series The Goon Show changed the face of British comedy.

This 13th collection turns the clock back to the 1950s and the series' earliest surviving recordings. The episodes included are 'Harry Secombe Tracks Lo-Hing Ding', 'Handsome Harry Hunts for The Lost Drummer', 'The Failures of Handsome Harry Secombe', 'The Mystery of the Monkey's Paw', 'The Man Who Tried to Destroy London's Monuments', 'The Ghastly Experiments of Dr Hans Eidelburger', and 'The Missing Prime Minister'. Also featured are surviving extracts from 'The Search for the Bearded Vulture' and 'The Giant Bombardon'.

A host of bonus features are included in the collection, including the 1991 programme 'At Last The Go On Show', 'Goon Again' and 'Just Before Goonrise' from 2001, 'Laughter in the Air' from 1979, 'Spike at 80' from 1998, various extracts from Desert Island Discs, and much more.

A PDF booklet tells the story of the show's development with reference to original archive paperwork, plus the history of the recordings.

Remastered using newly sourced material and the latest technology to give the best possible sound quality, these recordings are sure to appeal to all collectors of The Goon Show.

The Goons is a classic comedy which reflects the broadcast standards, language and attitudes of its time.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio on our desktop site.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Goon But Not…Eeeyackaboo!

I take considerable delight in this release, personally, but I do acknowledge that it’s of marginal interest to most, even Goon Show fans who regularly listen to the more easily available collections.

The charm for me is in the welter of supporting material, rather than the often dreadful sounding surviving pieces of the oldest episodes. There’s documentary pieces on the Goons, on the series creation and production, on the cast and writers (including one that focuses on Larry Stephens, Spike Milligan’s main co-writer, and the man acknowledged as the positive influence on Spike’s work.) The Dirk Maggs-produced “Goon Again” is here as well, plus various excerpts from Spike Milligan’s anarchic Q series.

I enjoyed this, overall.

For the Goon Show completist

Mostly clips from the lost early Goons and a review of the history. If you are looking for episodes look to the other compilations, but if you want to know the story behind the show look here.